The invention relates generally to diagnostic ultrasound systems. In particular, the present invention relates to method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving multiple beams with a single transducer.
Transducers transmitting to more than one non-overlapping aperture exist to acquire data. Method and apparatus are needed when using multiple apertures to increase the frame rate to provide the data rates needed for color Doppler, and 3D and 4D imaging. Heretofore, ultrasound methods and systems have experienced limitations on the rate at which data is obtained, due in part to limitations on the rate at which ultrasound signals can be transmitted into a object of interest.
Thus, a system and method are desired that can increase the rate at which ultrasound beams can be transmitted into an object.